


Transparency

by Skyepilot



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Coulson loves Skye, F/M, Kissing, Love Confessions, Not Ward friendly, Sex, Skye loves Coulson, Ward hates Coulson, Ward is manipulative
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-01
Updated: 2014-10-01
Packaged: 2018-02-19 11:48:01
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,975
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2387189
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skyepilot/pseuds/Skyepilot
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Season 2 feels.  Coulson decides to deal with Ward's manipulations and it provides some clarity.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Transparency

"I didn't think I'd see you again so soon."

"Yeah you did."

He took the chair across from him and turned it, sat himself down, putting his arms across its back, getting comfortable.

"You're right," the other man said, a slight smile catching on his face.

He stared down at him sitting in the chair in front of him, watching him place the control pad on the floor.

"I must admit, I'm a little bored of our staring contests these days," he said, turning his back to him. He sat down on the floor, cross legged, took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

"Just getting a good look," he said. "Thinking about what she had to see, feel, hear..."

"I'd say you could just watch the video," he said, with a smile, eyes still closed. "But I'm sure you have."

"Yes, and you were using that, I'm aware."

"So you're here to get inside my head," he said, sucking in a breath and shaking his head in mock sympathy. "You didn't have much luck with that the first time around  Or, the second, or..."

"I have a little more to go on this time," he interrupted.

"Are you sure? Because, I saw what happened to John," he said, standing. "The way he started fraying at the edges, with that alien drug in his body. What it did to his _mind_."

"It wasn't the same process," Coulson replied calmly. "As you know."

"The only thing Garrett was afraid of was dying," Ward smiled. "But not you. You're not afraid of dying. You already died."

He stood up as Coulson stared back at him, frowning.

"You're afraid of living," he continued, taking a step forward, the electric zing of the barrier between them appearing for a brief moment. "What that beautiful _young_ girl up there might think if she really knew what you were capable of," he said. "The things you've done."

Coulson shrugged and pushed the chair back, picking up the pad and standing.

"That's why I've come with some good news," he said, walking just up to the barrier to look up at Ward. "You won't ever be seeing Skye again. I made a decision today," he said, staring into his eyes. "That I'm not going to compromise anymore. We'll find a different way to get info on HYDRA. We'll use other captured agents."

He lifted his finger to the pad to draw up the solid barrier and end their conversation.

"Oh, sorry, that was just _my_ good news."

"You forget one thing," Ward said, his voice wavering, his jaw tensing. "When you screw up, and you _will_ screw up, because every HYDRA agent in the world is looking for you right now. So, when you do get caught, _Phil_ ," he continued, a cocky grin appearing, "She will come to me. Because, Skye will do _anything_ to save you. I've seen it."

Coulson swallowed, felt his free hand clench into a fist.

"That's right," Ward said, picking up the movement. "And you know what? I'm going to help her, Phil. _I will_ ," he said with dedication. "Promise. We'll find you, and when we do, when we're all together again, you can..."

Coulson pushed the button as the barrier came up and muffled his remaining words.

He closed his eyes, released his fist, feeling himself shaking with rage and horror.

Turning, he made his way up the stairs, stopping along the way to take a few deep breaths, regain his composure.

Slowly he made his way back upstairs as the basement door closed behind him with a click.

It was dimmed in the halls, late, and he walked in the low light through the situation room and up the stairs to his office.

As he slowly shut the door, he put the pad down on an empty space at one of the desks.

"I'm sorry you had to see...hear...that."

A glance at the screen showed the terminated feed, and he looked at the silhouette of Skye sitting in the darkness, looking out of the window.

"It's important we know what we're up against. What he wants to use," she answered calmly.

He grabbed the back of a nearby chair and leaned toward her.

"Do you want to talk about any of it? Get it out in the open," he asked after the silence.

She shifted, with a contemplative expression. "Was it true?"

"Yes. Not in the way he understands it. The idea that this part of me, that you saw so clearly. It might not be who I really am. That I'm fooling myself thinking..."

"Because you've compromised in the past."

"And maybe even now."

"And you're not going to tell me to promise?" Skye asked, standing up and walking nearer to him.   

"No," he said quietly. "Because he was telling the truth. You might say yes, if I asked. But, it would be a lie. We both know it."

Skye looked down at his hands.  Even in the moonlight from the window, could see his knuckles white against the back of the chair.

"Stop," she said. "Stop imagining the scenarios he's planted. It's not going to happen."

"I know. _I know_ ," he answered, bowing his head towards the floor. "I've come so close, Skye. The things he's said..."

"He read a _file_ on you," she replied, "But he never knew you. He never let you in. He just wants to push you."

"Break me," he said, looking back up at her.

He thought about the way Ward had spoken to her a week ago, like he was still touching, invading. He was still somehow standing in their midst, even from down below.

“This is about eliminating his ability to question us," he reminded himself, standing straight and smoothing his suit out. "Transparency. Not allowing him to  undermine our trust with his manipulations."

“What he said about Garrett, about the GH-325. Are you…?”

"I thought I could shield you, that I could distance you from the impact. But, those are the kinds of secrets I can’t afford anymore.”

She walked towards him with a fierce anger in her eyes, trying to hold back acting on it, he watched her fight against herself.

“I don’t know how to stop it. It’s why I’ve given you the symbols, because, if anyone can figure it out, Skye, it’s you.”

"That same stuff is in me. What is wrong with you?!" she asked in anger.

"I realized that the only way to put an end to this was to give it all up," he pleaded, trying to convince her. "Risk that, to save this, no matter how fragile it seems in these circumstances."

Skye turned away from him. "I didn't want to be right."

He wanted to step closer to her. To touch her. Do, something.

"I want...I've always wanted to see things through your eyes. I don't want to lose that hope, ever again. Even if I fall apart, I want to do it choosing that."

She turned back to him, her face wet and with a determined expression on her face, she stepped forward and took his hand, lacing their fingers together.

They stared at one another lit with the pale light from the window pane, as he pushed his hand back towards hers, his thumb sliding down the palm of her hand.

Staring back at him, she only hesitated for a moment before twisting her hand, their fingers still intertwined, and leading him behind her with a tug as she reached the door and opened it.

For a moment she tossed her head back at him, as he stood behind her, lost in the darkness, but his breathing and the slight squeeze of her hand allowed her to turn and go forward, leading him down the staircase and back through into the hall.

It was late and silent and they only had their thoughts and the pulling and tugging of their hands, teasing in their own ways, to guide them until they reached the hangar.

Skye stopped and he came up beside her, then took the lead, pulling her after him in agreement as he headed for the Bus. It had sat derelict for some time without a cloak to put it back in commission.

And it had been a winter since they had been on it together.

As he headed up the familiar spiral staircase and into his old office, empty shelves and spartan-spare, he pushed past the door into his room there and yanked her towards him, pulling her into a passionate kiss, aching with the need for her, letting himself finally feel everything he had been denying.

Skye grabbed his hips and pulled him forward, leaning against him with one knee brushing up against him, as he choked out a groan and ground his hips back into her.

Her hands were in a frenzy, yanking away his tie and working the buttons of his shirt downwards as he grabbed at her knee, and pulled her leg around him, lifting her hips to match his own movements.

He gathered her up low and pulled her up into him with a forceful thrust, sending her hands against his chest to steady herself as she touched his scar, staring at it.

Sliding her hand down between them to feel his hard length pressing into her, she ran her tongue against his lip before pulling his head towards hers with her free hand and capturing his mouth over and over again as he pulled her hips into his mimicking the movements.

Tossing her head back, rocking in time with him, he suddenly felt the urgency to undress her, grasping at the hem of her shirt, pulling it over her head, all the while kissing her frantically.

She made him pause for a moment, cupping his face in her hands, seeing the pleading look in his eyes, but kissing him again, and pushing him backwards until he was against the edge of the bed and slowly pushing him down on top of it.

He watched her settle over him, hands carressing her body, touching shoulders, hips, breasts, not sure where to land. Like it was all too much.

Grabbing his hands, she locked their fingers together, raising hers to press his against the wall behind them.

She felt him tremble beneath her as she ground herself against him, his hands resisting.

Letting him go she reached beneath her and unbuckled his belt, all the while he touched her face, her mouth, slipping his finger inside.

Her hand slid over him again, feeling him so hard, as she sucked on his finger and he moaned as she unbuttoned her own jeans, wanting to feel his fingers moving in her.

He kissed the side of her face, then her chin open-mouthed, and slipped into her, listening with a thrilled smile to her moan, her hearing his smirk as he curled them up and into her as she rode out an orgasm, while he panted into her ear.

Landing his mouth along her neck, he turned her towards him, pulled her underneath him as he settled himself on top of her, looking down into her eyes, making sure.

She pulled his mouth down towards hers, filling him with her kisses, as he slowly slid himself inside of her, taking her hands in his again, sliding their fingers between one another's, his controlled thrusts carrying her along with him, building up, making sure that they stayed there with each other until it ended with the same intensity as it began.

Then they curled into each other's arms. The urges that had been pressing around the edges were gone and she was beautiful and sweet.  He didn't want to leave and he wasn't afraid to see her cry, but it still hurt.

He just wanted to be here, with her.

 

 


End file.
